Another Ohio State player on Bulls’ wish list?

Wednesday

Jun 20, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 20, 2007 at 7:02 PM

A look at possible second-round draft picks for the Chicago Bulls.

Paul Ladewski

Even though there were no marquee names at the Berto Center on Tuesday morning, the workout of eight second-round draft hopefuls was no trivial pursuit for a Bulls team that would like to add backcourt depth at either the 49th or 51st overall pick.
After all, it was just three years ago when they pulled out a plum named Chris Duhon in Round 2.
The list of candidates included Adam Haluska and Ron Lewis, a pair of Big Ten products who believe they did well enough to merit serious consideration.
Although frequently overshadowed by teammates Mike Conley Jr. and Greg Oden last season, Lewis was especially effective late in games for an Ohio State team that advanced to the NCAA championship game.
“Even when you’re the second or third guy, you have to show them that you can play and shoot and take on some of the roles that they may have you do,” said Lewis, one of as many as four Buckeyes who could be chosen in the June 28 draft. “I’ll do the same things that I did at Ohio State: penetrate, pass, get to the basket, hit open shots and play good defense.”
As a senior, Lewis averaged 12.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. His passion for defense no doubt caught the attention of Bulls head coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Paxson, among others.
At the predraft camp in Orlando, Lewis was measured at 6-foot-2¾, 194 pounds.
“At Ohio State, I had to guard against one of the main players every game,” said Lewis, who has also worked out for the New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings. “It’s something that I got used to and something that I like.”
While Haluska is a work in progress as a defender and ballhandler, his athleticism and perimeter game could translate well at the next level.
As a senior at Iowa, Haluska averaged 20.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season.
“My biggest asset is my ability to hit open shots,” he said. “My shot has gotten a lot better out there. It’s a big adjustment when you leave college, because it’s such an easy shot there. To step out a few more feet, it’s more of a challenge. In the last couple months, I really worked on it.”
Like Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich, Haluska is an Iowa native.
“The Bulls are kind of Iowa’s team,” Haluska said. “I watched almost all their games and followed Kirk Hinrich and guys like that.”
Haluska has worked out for the Knicks, Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics.
More Bulls coverage can be found online at www.dailysouthtown.com/sports.

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